There are many Hungarian folk traditions and superstitions. Some of them are well-known, others less present in everyday culture. Hungarians had many traditions and even superstitions for autumn, and in this article, we would like to introduce you to some of these. In Hungary, all the autumn traditions served to bring good harvest and to protect people’s health.
September 1 is the official first day of the autumn period, and on this day Hungarians hoped and prayed for the good taste of wine and good weather. On September 8, the catholic church and Hungarians celebrated the birthday of the Virgin Mary, and on this day, women from Csallóköz were not allowed to work. On this day almost every people living in little villages spent their day at church to celebrate. On September 29, on the day of St. Michael the Archangel, all the shepherds moved their animals into barns as the weather was getting colder and colder. People believed that the weather on this day would determine the temperature of the following days until November 30.
In October, the most significant day is the 8th, because that’s when Hungarians celebrated the birthday of the “Magyarok Nagyasszonya” (a name variation for the Virgin Mary in Hungarian culture since St. Stephen). According to folk culture, if this day was full of sunshine that meant that spring would have the same weather.
October 20th is the day of St. Vendel. He was an Irish Prince running away from his court, who continued to live as a shepherd. This is why this day was dedicated to the celebration of Hungarian shepherds. November 1 and November 2 are the days of All Saints’ and All Souls’ when Hungarians, like in many other cultures, visit cemeteries and remember their lost loved ones. November 11 is the day of Saint Márton, and on this day the main course is usually goose. November 25 is the day of St. Katalin, and on this day dancing and having fun was not allowed. After this day, the next major event was considered to be the Advent period.
On this day, many Hungarian men did not eat to be able to dream who their future wife will be. On November 30, St. András day, women did not eat, and before they went to bed they put a piece of men’s clothing under their pillows to find out in their dreams who their future husband will be.
And, of course, we must not forget about a tradition that lasts from the beginning of September until late October, and that is grape harvesting in the major wine regions of Hungary. During these two months, Hungarians harvest the best grapes to make the best and most delicious Hungarian wines.
The rider girl and her horse will be competing at the 13th National Gallop (Nemzeti Vágta), to be held on 10th and 11th October at Heroes’ Square in Budapest.
Viki Zboray is one of the aspiring competitors of the upcoming National Gallop, an annual event celebrating Hungarian traditions with a large-scale horse riding race in spotlight. The event involves a series of other programmes that make it a perfect weekend activity for the entire family. Still, the most exciting part is by far the horse race: last year, some 250 riders competed for the first prize of HUF 11.6 million (EUR 32,500).
This year’s National Gallop – the 13th since its inception in 2008 – will be held on 10th and 11th October at the usual location, the Heroes’ Square in Budapest.
With only one month to go, competitors are already in busy preparation for the country’s largest equestrian event. Still, Viki Zboray and her horse, Marokkó, representing the town of Abony in Pest county, had just the time to do another outstanding performance: this Tuesday, the young rider and her horse swam across the Danube at Szentendre Island north of Budapest, as reported by Sokszínű Vidék.
Photo: www.facebook.com/abony.hu
Viki was helped by his trainer Tamás Petrik, who already won the National Gallop a few years ago. Photos were published by the official Facebook page of the town of Abony, wishing good luck to all the competitors of the upcoming event.
Initially organised to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the beginning of King Matthias‘ reign, the National Gallop plays an important role in preserving old Hungarian traditions and bringing people together from all parts of the country. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race will not be open to visitors but can be followed on various channels in TV and online.
For more information about the National Gallop, visit the official website.
If you like pickled vegetables, the Hungarian leavened cucumber is a must-try. It accompanies meats and sandwiches perfectly, and it has a bunch of health benefits too. Here is a fool-proof recipe.
Just like with any other traditional food, every household has their own way of making leavened cucumber (kovászos uborka). Veol.hu shares a rather unusual recipe received from one of their readers, and they claim that with this recipe, the cucumbers remain crunchy for up to two months. And who wants soggy cucumbers? Let’s see the secret.
Ingredients:
2 kg cucumber
2 l water
10 dkg sugar
2 tbs salt
1 clove of garlic
1 small onion
1 tbs vinegar (10%)
1 thick slice of bread wrapped in a cheesecloth
horseradish and dill to taste
Instructions:
Wash the cucumbers carefully. Cut their ends off, then cut into them lengthwise.
Put some of the dills to the bottom of the jar and stand the cucumbers on top of it vertically.
In a separate bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in lukewarm water then pour it into the jars.
Put the garlic, onion, horseradish, and the remaining dill into the jar as well.
At last, pour the vinegar on top and place the slice of bread wrapped in cheesecloth on top. It is important that the liquid covers all the cucumbers and the bread too.
Once the jars are assembled, put a small plate on top of each jar and place them somewhere warm for two days. On the third day, take them back to the kitchen and let them rest for another day there. On the fourth day, pour the liquid from the jars and strain it, also take out all the vegetables. Then, pour the strained liquid back into the jars and seal them carefully. Store them in the fridge, and you will have crunchy cucumbers for a long time. (Recipe from Piroska Sárváriné)
Why eat leavened cucumbers?
The Hungarian leavened cucumber (kovászos uborka) is said to be the king of pickles. However, few people know about the beneficial effects it has on the body.
It contains several minerals including magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and it is also high in vitamins B12, C and A. As it ferments naturally, it does not contain any preservatives. Since fermented foods are full of probiotics, they have a positive effect on the metabolic system, and they also strengthen the immune system and help the body fight diseases.
Sour cucumber is also capable of influencing nervousness and anxiety. Experts studied its effects on neuroticism and social anxiety, and the results attested a palliative impact.
Hungarians celebrated on Thursday the August 20 national holiday, commemorating the founding of the state of Hungary in the year 1000 A.D. by Saint Stephen, Hungary’s first Christian king.
The celebrations officially started in the morning with the hoisting of the national flag by a ceremonial guard in front of the parliament building.
President János Áder, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, House Speaker László Kövér, Defence Minister Tibor Benkő; representatives of the government, the state and the military; and diplomats, as well as several hundred onlookers participated at the ceremony.
Photo: MTI
Photo: MTI/Mónus Márton
Photo: MTI/Mónus Márton
Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
Other programmes traditionally held to mark the holiday, such as an air show and a fireworks display, were cancelled this year because of the novel coronavirus epidemic.
Defence Minister Benkő asked the soldiers to serve in a way that wins acknowledgement of their commitment to creed and to sacrifice, to be examples of patriotism, loyalty and allegiance to country, bravery, heroism, devotion, modesty and humility.
He urged them to “raise the flag high”, to a height under which everybody who holds the defence and security of the country as well as the matters of the army important can be marshalled.
Photo: MTI/Komka Péter
Photo: MTI/Komka Péter
Speaking at an awards ceremony at the Carmelite monastery in Budapest Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said the transcendent goal of the state is the preservation of the Hungarian nation and the improvement of their quality of life. He added that the transcendent goal of the state can only be achieved if there are people from all walks of life who serve the preservation of the nation.
Back in the day, the Hungarian peasant culture’s main ingredients were the pieces of clothing these people wore every day. It defined their hierarchy and the kind of work they did every day. Those who did not have a land to grow fruits, vegetables and other types of plants, had to look for a different kind of job in Hungary.
Sokszínű Vidék reported that Hungarian peasants usually wore white, as this was the only material they had, and it was also the one that was the most easily cleaned. The animals they owned defined their place in society: the “kondás” was the peasant on the last step of the hierarchy, followed by the “juhász” and the “gulyás”. The aristocracy of the peasant culture were the people named “csikós”. They were the only people who could afford to keep horses, which were the noblest animals back in the day in Hungary. The csikós people usually disgraced people with less fortune, and that frequently led to physical conflicts in villages.
Photo: www.facebook.com/hortobagymataimenes
Among csikós people, the csikós people of Hortobágy were the kings of the peasant culture in Hungary. They wore blue pieces of clothing made out of the most expensive materials many could not afford. First, these clothes were made and painted by hand, until the 19th century, when the first manufacturers appeared in the country. The szűr, suba, ködmön and the csizma (boots) make up the traditional clothes of a csikós.
While people in Hortobágy only got used to wearing blue after 1860, in some parts of Hungary — those who could afford — made clothes out of blue material at already the beginning of the 19th century. Nevertheless, people usually think that Hortobágy is the place where peasants wear blue clothes. There is a simple reason why csikós people did not wear white, and it has to do with money. They could afford blue attire, which emphasised their place in society. This usually led to conflicts with peasants who did not have the fortune they did.
Photo: www.facebook.com/hortobagymataimenes
Bugacpuszta, part of the Kiskunság National Park not far away from Hortobágy, is still a place in Hungary where people kept this old tradition.
Although the clothing of the csikós people of Kiskunság is a bit different from Hortobágy csikós people, their appearance gives the same old feeling. Usually, people who preserve ancient Hungarian culture dress up in these blue pieces of clothing, get on a horse and show all the tricks and movements once the real Hungarian csikós people were able to do.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/hortobagymataimenes
CNN: Hungary’s Hortobágy National Park is one of Europe’s most beautiful places
The Hungarian Grey (Bos primigenius Taurus Hungaricus) is a special Hungarikum, Hungary’s native and protected animal species. With its strength, colour and beauty, this animal is known all across the world as a typical Hungarian symbol. Although it is the most typical Hungarian animal, it only became an official Hungarikum four years ago, on April 24.
As of August 20, the birthday of the Hungarian state and a national holiday is getting closer; it is time to choose the country’s best St. Stephen’s Day bread and Hungary’s cake to represent the special day when a whole country celebrates together.
Sokszínű Vidék reported that Hungarian bakers completed the challenges of the coronavirus epidemic with great success and did well to make the best bread of the country this year as well. It was uncertain whether the event and the competition would be organised because of the epidemic, but luckily, despite the close deadline, nearly one hundred bakeries entered the competition to show off their skills. In the final round, fifteen bread was tasted by the jury. Seven of those were competing in the category of St. Stephen’s day and eight others in the most innovative product of Hungary in 2020.
This year’s St. Stephen’s Day bread became the one baked by the Balmaz Sütöde Kft. of the town of Balmazújváros entitled as the Hajdúsági traditional bread. With the technology of the 21st century, the bakery aims to provide the original traditional bread types we inherited from our grandmothers to everyone in the country.
According to the official press release of the Hungarian Confectioners, this year’s August 20 cake became the one baked by Krisztián Füredi from Tápiószecső. The cake, called Curiositas (Latin word, which means curiosity, uniqueness), contains quince as its main ingredient providing an exceptional and unique experience. Almond, nuts and chocolate are also essential ingredients for the cake made by the most modern technology of the 21st century.
The cake can be tasted in many of Hungary’s confectioneries from August 19.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/cukrasziparegyesulet
Hungary’s cake of 2019 revealed!
The winners of Hungary’s Cake of the Year have been revealed. Norbert Tóth, a pastry chef from Dunaföldvár, won with his Boldogasszony csipkéje creation. László Gyuris, a pastry chef from Szeged, won Hungary’s Sugar-free Cake of the Year competition, with his Kicsi Gesztenye cake.
At the weekend participants dressed in Palóc folk costumes on St. Anne’s Day (on July 26, 2020 ) in Balassagyarmat, Hungary.
They live in about half a hundred settlements, their largest cities are Ipolyság, Rimaszombat, Tornalja, Fülek, Balassagyarmat, Eger, Miskolc, Gyöngyös, Salgótarján, Szécsény.
The Palóc are ethnic Hungarians, but they have retained distinctive traditions, including a very apparent dialect of Hungarian.
Balassagyarmat, Hungary. St. Anne’s Day in Palóc folk costumes. Photo: MTIBalassagyarmat, Hungary. St. Anne’s Day in Palóc folk costumes. Photo: MTI
The origin of the Palóc has already covered many ethnographers and historians, however, there are still many white spots regarding the origin of the ethnic group: the Palóc seem to have some sort of connections with the Khazar, Kabar, Pechenegs and Cuman tribes.
The most famous Palóc settlement is village of Hollókő, which was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
Balassagyarmat, Hungary. St. Anne’s Day in Palóc folk costumes. Photo: MTIBalassagyarmat, Hungary. St. Anne’s Day in Palóc folk costumes. Photo: MTIBalassagyarmat, Hungary. St. Anne’s Day in Palóc folk costumes. Photo: MTIBalassagyarmat, Hungary. Photo: MTIBalassagyarmat, Hungary. Photo: MTI
Every year on the 22nd of July, a special feeling overwhelms Hungarians while they hear the noon bell toll. On the 22nd of July, in 1456, 564 years ago, the siege of Nándorfehérvár took place. Thanks to the triumph of the Hungarians and the help of some other European forces, the armies of the Sultan Mehmed the II. had to withdraw. The popular Hungarian belief is that the victory of János Hunyadi was a “world-renowned” triumph, which commemorates Hungarian courage forever. Hunyadi was the archetype of the Hungarian hero in every era, and his actions belonged to the most glorious pages of Hungarian history.
The historiography of the 20th century has washed a little colour away from his myth in many ways, yet it has not taken deep root in public thinking. Although it turned out that János Hunyadi was responsible for launching the tragic campaign of 1444, he lost his two most significant battles and took an active part in the civil war, but all of this did not detract from his appraisal as a national hero, as his successes were attributed to his personal qualities.
There are two things: real deeds and their judgement, and these two are very separate things. The latter, of course, plays a more important role in creating a tradition.
The map of the battle of Nándorfehérvár
Source: Wikimedia Commons / The British Library
Such was the case with István I., Mátyás Hunyadi and Lajos Kossuth, who were seen by their contemporaries and immediate descendants with much less empathy. Yet, newer generations their stories in a way that evokes devotion and heroism. This is not a bad thing, however, because it can inspire future generations, but it is important not to alter past events entirely.
For us Hungarians, in the last five hundred years, Nándorfehérvár has become a symbol of self-sacrificing heroism, Hungary as the bastion of Christianity and the feeling of ‘we must fight alone’.
However, this developed gradually over the centuries. For those who fought the battle, this was certainly not as clear as it has become a symbol to us. But in today’s highly relative world, where centuries-old beliefs and values are being questioned in a matter of moments, we need to see how successful the Christian triumph really was.
The young Sultan Mehmed II. who inherited the Ottoman throne in 1453 successfully invaded Constantinople, a city that symbolised the last light of the Roman Empire. This was unthinkable for the people, and it caused panic in Europe. This was the context in which the Hungarians fended off the invaders at Nándorfehérvár. An attack launched by a young and ambitious Sultan against a divided force that lacked confidence.
János Hunyadi in the Battle of Varna by József Marastoni – WikiCommons /
It is also important to note that the fall of the Kingdom of Hungary would have dragged the remaining states of the Balkan Peninsula with it, so the eyes of the West were gazing upon Mihály Szilágyi and János Hunyadi whose defences were tested to the very limit.
Luckily, almost everything fell into place perfectly for the defenders: Serbian forces broke through the Ottoman ships on the Christian side, and the untrained Christian forces led by János Kapisztrán (John of Capistrano) intervened just at the right time. But there was more luck to it than you would first guess.
All things considered, the Christian victory, was unexpected and seemed miraculous in the eyes of contemporary people, so it was obvious to incorporate self-sacrificing heroes and miraculous elements into the narration of the story to give it some extra flair. This is how the myth of the noon bell toll and the heroic Titusz Dugovics came to life and became an integral part of Hungarian belief and tradition. Now it can be scientifically proven, that they cannot be associated with the triumph of Nándorfehérvár.
However, all this should not bother us, let us also rejoice in the bell ringing at noon and tell our children about the heroism of Titusz Dugovics, because these beliefs are the ones that bind us Hungarians together, these beliefs help us through hard times and these figures of heroism inspire us.
The castle of Nándorfehérvár Source: Wikimedia Commons / Derzsi Elekes Andor
The noon bell toll
To this day, many stubbornly believe, that the noon bell is in memory of the triumph of Nándorfehérvár, even though this theorem has been refuted several times over the past decades. Callixtus III., when found out about the Ottoman campaign, issued a so-called ‘imabulla’ (papal prayer bull) in Rome on the 29th of June announcing a spiritual crusade to defeat the “unbelieving”. According to the bull, between three o’clock in the afternoon and the evening prayer, they would ring the bells three times at half-hour intervals, and that every Christian would pray fervently when they heard it. Also, a bad omen appeared on the sky around this time on the 3rd of June; Halley’s comet, which suggested destruction and danger further making it seem unlikely to be able to stop the Ottoman Empire. The news of the triumph of Nándorfehérvár only arrived in Rome on the 6th of August, and to his delight, the Pope set the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on this day, so in fact, this moment is the one which is most strongly associated with the Hungarian victory, not the noon bell toll.
It is important to mention that the bull and the victory in Nándorfehérvár were forgotten in the second half of the century. Due to the growing Ottoman threat, however, Pope Alexander VI. renewed the bull of his predecessor in 1500 and issued a new decree. He changed two things in the papal decree: he ordered the noon bell toll to encourage prayer, and this decree is the reason why they toll the bell at noon in the Christian world. So, we can only talk about the noon bell toll in the Christian world from this point onwards.
We know from the research of Endre Pálvölgyi that the idea that connects the noon bell to a Hungarian event developed in the Hungarian public consciousness in the middle of the 19th century.
It can be seen from many examples that official cultural policy, with the help of historical science, planted this dogma in the Hungarian public thinking during the millennium celebrations at the end of the 19th century. In a Hungary struck by the Treaty of Trianon, it did not take much to start believing it. The bell-ringing on Hungarian radio spread this myth among Hungarians, and it seems that it will stay with us in the future as well.
Titusz Dugovics
Alexander von Wagner: The Self- Sacrifice of Titusz Dugovics
Source: Wikimedia Commons
It is no exaggeration to say that almost everyone in Hungary knows the story of Titusz Dugovics. I was greatly moved by his sacrifice when I learned about him in 3rd or 4th grade, but unfortunately, it turns out that this is only a myth as well. The painting of Sándor Wagner beautifully depicts the story of the castle-defending hero, who on July 21st, 1456, dragged down with himself a Turkish soldier trying to raise the Sultan’s flag from one of the towers of Nándorfehérvár, kindling the spirit of his brother in arms. However, only a few people know that Titusz was actually born in 1824 when Gábor Döbrentei published three diplomas in ‘Tudományos Gyűjtemény’ (Scientific Collection) which were in possession of the then jury of Vas County, Imre Dugovics. In the following decades, the claim of the famous literary man was more and more widely accepted, so until the 1990s no one questioned the existence of Titusz Dugovics, but then more and more people raised doubts about Döbrentei’s claim.
The figure of the self-sacrificing hero is actually a migratory motif found in Western literature since the Antiquity.
Antonio Bonfini was the one who recorded the event the first time connected to Nándorfehérvár, but in his recordings, the soldier had no name. The next time such a hero is mentioned was by Johannes Dubravius, born in 1552. He refers to the self-sacrificing soldier as a Czech knight. At the beginning of the 19th century, the hero’s name became János Körmendi in the ballad of Johann Karl Unger. The cult of Titusz Dugovics was started by Döbrentei who believed the forged documents of a noble of Vas county were real. We do not know what motivated Imre Dugovics to forge these documents. It might have been to stop rumours around the nobility of his family, or he just simply wanted to have heroic ancestors. However, all this is irrelevant, as in the era of national romanticism there was a considerable demand for self-sacrificing heroes, so personal ambitions were immediately placed in a national context, and the cult of Titusz Dugovics was born.
János Kapisztrán (St. John of Capistrano)
János Kapisztrán and his irregular troops
Source: Wikimedia Commons / Otto Bitschnau OSB
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Pope sent János Kapisztrán (St. John of Capistrano), who was approaching his seventies, to gather crusaders against the Ottoman Empire with his fanatical enthusiasm. He arrived in Hungary in 1455 and established a Christian alliance against the Turks. In the Spring of 1456, he enthusiastically began to recruit crusaders again.
He managed to gather an irregular army and hurried to the camp of János Hunyadi in order to aid him and his forces to defend Nándorfehérvár. After the fleet of Hunyadi broke through the ships of the Turkish Admiral Baltoglu, he sent Kapisztrán and his units to the island of Száva. Hunyadi and his mercenaries marched into the castle, to help the defenders, led by Hunyadi’s brother-in-law, Mihály Szilágyi, who found it difficult to keep their positions within the shattered walls of the castle. The sultan sent his army in to attack on July 22, but the defenders were able to fend the elite Turkish units off one last time.
The decisive clash was triggered by accident, however. Kapisztrán’s force was made up of undisciplined troops, and some of them crossed the river and began to attack the enemy camp from the flanks. More and more of these irregular troops followed suit and the Turkish Sipahis and Janissaries gathered to make a counterattack.
When Kapisztrán realised this, he wanted to prevent the clash, so he boarded a boat, but he achieved the opposite effect. His soldiers believed that their leader is inciting them to attack, so they followed his example and clashed with the Turks.
The Ottomans were surprised and left their camps and artillery unattended. Hunyadi seized the opportunity and broke out of the castle with a cavalry assault and seized the artillery pieces and attacked the Turks with their own weapons. A short, bloody conflict ensued, and the Hungarian forces emerged victoriously.
This year again, an open jury decided which are the best breads in Hungary. A five-member jury of professionals selected the very best from the finalists through rigorous judging criteria. The Hungarian Bakers’ Association announced its Bread Competition for the 9th time. Hungarian bakers could enter their products in two categories; the first was ‘St. Stephen’s Day Bread’ and the other category was ‘Innovative Bread’.
Unfortunately, however, I cannot tell you which are the exact winners as they will be announced at the beginning of August, at the central press conference in the Hungarian Parliament, but keep an eye on our site as we will be publishing it as well. According to Origo, it is worth the wait, as you will be able to taste the best breads at ‘Várkert Bazár’ (Castle Garden Bazaar) on the 19th of August.
The jury of the competition of Hungary’s best bread 2020
Photo: MTI / Mónus Márton
The Hungarian Bakers’ Association announced its Bread Competition again this year with two possible categories to enter; ‘St. Stephen’s Day Bread’ and ‘Innovative Bread’.
The two categories aimed to test the creativity of Hungarian bakers.
In the ‘Innovative’ category – which was very popular among the bakers – they could enter breads with herbs and spices.
The most important category of the competition, however, is ‘St. Stephen’s Day Bread’, because this is the bread bakers would prepare to celebrate the founding of the state of Hungary. The bakers had to make the bread mostly from wheat products, using the traditional sourdough technique, and bakers were only allowed to use natural Hungarian ingredients. In the description of their product, bakers had to reference the tradition they used or the region the bread was from.
The jury examined whether the competing goods met the requirements of the competition and the regulations of the Hungarian Food Book (Codex Alimentarius Hungaricus) which is a set of regulations regarding the quality of Hungarian food products, and what quality characteristics it has in terms of its crust, its soft inner part, smell, taste and aroma.
The jury examining one of the competing breads of the competition of Hungary’s best bread 2020
Photo: MTI / Mónus Márton
After the first round of pre-judging, the best seven products in each category were invited to the 2nd round of judging, which meant a total of 15 products this year, due to a tie in the innovative category. Then, during the finals, the jury decided which bread was the best in each category, but the general public does not know the results yet.
The scoring evaluation of the professional jury will be summarised by the staff of the Bakers’ Association, and the result will be kept secret until early August.
The winning breads and their bakers will be presented to at the Parliament at the central press conference for public celebrations in August. The general public will be able to taste and buy the bread of the year for the first time on August 19th in the ‘Magyar Ízek Utcája’ (Street of Hungarian Flavours) at ‘Várkert Bazár’ (Castle Garden Bazaar).
Some people believe in them, while others do not take them seriously. Superstition is quite a divisive phenomenon that is thought to be nothing more than a general prophecy, a prophecy that associates positive or negative future events with certain ordinary activities. In this article, we collected some of the craziest Hungarian superstitions, which are most likely to come true based on experiences and surveys. Ready?!
It brings you good luck
if you pick up your blouse the other way around
if you come across a wedding procession
if you see a chimney sweep and turn your knob
It brings you bad luck
if you turn back out the door and cross the threshold again
if a black cat runs across the road in front of you
if you put on your left shoe first
A quarrel is expected
if the salt container overturns and the salt spills
if someone’s nose is itchy
if a knife falls to the ground
Quick child blessing is expected
if the water flows to the person who will have a child
if rice is sprinkled on the married couple
if there is a sudden downpour on the day of the wedding
if, conversely, you place the bread on the table with the convex side down
if you step on the cat’s tail in the room.
A friendship will end
if you give a handkerchief as a gift (it means anger)
if you give scissors, you cut off your friendship with it
if a needle stays in the flower paper, the friendship is over – reported by napibabona.blog.hu
Number 13
According to astro24h.hu, originally number 13 brings bad luck; however, many people think it is more of a luck-bringing number that brings a great fortune, especially Friday the 13th. It is considered to be an extreme day when something very good or terrible can be expected.
New Year’s superstitions
New Year’s Day is full of superstitions and beliefs; according to which, what you do on this day will have an impact on the whole coming year. Hungarians believe that nothing should be released from the house on this day because then everything will leave all year round. According to alon.hu, another general belief is that what happens on this day will be repeated throughout the year; therefore, quarrel is not recommended on 1st January.
The Hungarian government’s Kőrösi Csoma Sándor programme has sent 625 young Hungarians to teach diaspora communities around the world since its launch seven years ago, the commissioner for ethnic Hungarian communities abroad in the Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday.
In the 2019/2020 season 114 teachers, folk dancers and scouts spent nine months teaching diaspora communities in 19 countries on the northern hemisphere, Péter Szilágyi told a conference evaluating the season.
The Kőrösi Csoma programme will also be organised in 2020/2021, too, focusing on education on religion, traditions, community building and the scout movement, he said.
Assessing the Petőfi Sandor programme supporting ethnic Hungarian diaspora communities in the Carpathian Basin, Szilágyi said it has awarded 307 grants since its launch in 2015 and sent 74 scholarship holders to the region during the 2019/2020 season.
Both schemes are aimed at helping ethnic communities retain their national identity and strengthen cohesion through Hungarian language teaching and cultural activities.
Over the past few years, a total of around 1,000 young people were granted six-to-nine-month scholarships to help Hungarian communities all over the world.
Making embroideries is probably the most beautiful Hungarian tradition in the nation’s culture. Embroideries serve as decorative motives on different kinds of clothes, but handkerchiefs, curtains, and tablecloths were also dressed in eye-catching Hungarian motifs.
Embroidery is a decorative process in which a piece of fabric is decorated with some colourful threads by sewing the thread onto the fabric in various shapes.
Magyarországomreported that the culture of embroideries dates back to ancient times, and archaeologists found proof that Egyptians and even Romans used different kinds and techniques of embroidery. The oldest ones found date back to the 11-12th centuries. In Hungary, embroidery became widely popular in the 18th century.
Let us see the most popular Hungarian embroideries.
Kalocsa embroidery
The art of Kalocsa embroidery originates from the 19th century. The embroidery was originally plain white, and the pattern was formed of holes. They usually used only white yarn to decorate bedclothes and tablecloths. Red-blue and black cotton yarn was only used for other types of textiles. It was only in the 20th century when the Kalocsa embroidery began to use coloured materials on a wider scale.
The world-famous embroidery has a history of more than two hundred years. This type became more popular in 1886 when a folk art exhibition was hosted in Városliget. Many experts and merchants noticed unique pieces of embroidery. Mezőkövesd became famous in an instant not only in Hungary but beyond the borders as well. Matyo embroidery became such a success that 400 women were sewing in a workshop in Mezőkövesd by 1911 to satisfy customer demand.
This kind of embroidery is considered to be the simplest one as mostly white and simple coloured materials are used while making it. With this technique, Hungarians mostly decorated their clothes, curtains, and other pieces with flowers, plants, trees, but in some cases, we can observe animals as well. The most common motif is a rose with leaves.
Photo: www.palocut.hu
Sárközi embroidery
This kind of embroidery mostly appears on women’s clothing. Sárközi has five different kinds of style and method to work with.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons byPesti Napló 1850-1930 ajándék album
Turai embroidery
Turai truly has a strong folk origin, and from simple white to colourful embroideries, it carries many styles and shapes. White embroidery was mostly made on sleeves and scarfs while colourful ones belonged to handkerchiefs. Flowers and circles dominate these works as the main symbols.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/csodasmagyarorszag
Leaders of Hungary’s main Christian churches marked Pentecost with an ecumenical worship service at Budapest’s Matthias Church on Monday.
The church leaders prayed together for the victims of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the doctors treating the patients and thanked God that the epidemic was winding down. They also marked the centenary of the Trianon Treaty and prayed for the unity of the Hungarian nation.
Cardinal Péter Erdő, the head of the Catholic church, said that during the epidemic “God gave us a chance to discover what really matters in our lives.” The epidemic revealed that culture and education needed to survive and be reinvented. “
Photo: MTI/Mónus Márton
And most of all, we were happy to see that despite physical distancing we still have a strong desire for a social life and that our soul thirsts to meet God.”
Blessings from the air Photo: MTI/Kovács Tamás
Bishop István Szabó Bogárdi, parish president of the Reformed Churches’ synod, said that for 100 years now, Hungarians have had to “endure a lot of pain while learning how the truth will set us free and how mercy breeds hope”. This truth “shows that what we must build and unite on is not dependent on human will”, Bogárdi said.
Bishop Tamás Fabiny, the head of the Lutheran Church of Hungary, highlighted the importance of the church leaders coming together for prayer during Pentecost, which marked the beginnings of the church. He also underscored the importance of confessing sins and practising forgiveness during worship.
Pentecost in Csíksomlyó Photo: MTI/Veres Nándor
Pentecost in Csíksomlyó Photo: MTI/Veres Nándor
The service was also attended by Zsolt Semjén, the deputy prime minister in charge of Hungarian communities abroad, church policy and national and ethnic minorities.
Medieval show in the Castle of Diósgőr Photo: MTI/Vajda János
Dogs are widely considered a man’s best friend. They are presumably the first domesticated animals utilised for various purposes, such as hunting, guarding, herding livestock, or helping a person with disabilities. During the last 20,000−40,000 years, selective breeding resulted in a great diversity of dog breeds.
This medium-sized ancient Hungarian breed has been mainly utilised as a hunting dog; it is perfectly suited to the finding and pursuit of a trail. The breed’s peak occurred during the Middle Ages when it was widely used by the aristocracy. With the development of agriculture and forestry, the Erdélyi kopó started to decline, and it was marginalised to the woods and mountains. Two varieties can be distinguished: the long-legged (originally used for hunting big game, like bears and boars) and the short-legged Transylvanian hound (small game, like foxes and rabbits). The breed was rescued from extinction in the late 20th century.
The Erdélyi kopó has an athletic body with muscular limbs. Its primary colour is black with tan markings on the muzzle and legs. The breed’s coat is rather dense, coarse to the touch, and shiny. The Transylvanian Hound is often described as good-natured, courageous, and enduring.
Komondor
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Komondor has Asiatic origins and presumably arrived at the Carpathian Basin with the migrating Old Magyars. This large, white-coloured breed is utilised as a herding and livestock guarding dog. The Komondor’s most striking feature is its coat: its robust body is covered by matted, corded, long fur. The animal’s stature evokes respect and even fear. The breed’s temperament is mainly calm, but it has a natural guardian instinct, and it fearlessly defends the flock.
In 2004, along with several other protected native animal species, the Hungarian Parliament declared the Komondor a national treasure. In 2017, the Collection of Hungaricums was expanded with the Hungarian shepherd and hunting dog breeds, including this breed.
Kuvasz
Photo: allbigdogbreeds.com
The Kuvasz is a long-established, ancient Hungarian shepherd dog. Archaeologists argue that it arrived to the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century. This breed can work in harsh conditions, and the nomadic Magyar tribes used it to protect their livestock. It was also utilised as a bear and wolf hunting dog. During the 15th century, the Kuvasz became fashionable among the nobility, and King Matthias Corvinus was especially fond of them. According to Regi.tankonyvtar, in the middle of the 18th century, the guarding role of both the Komondor and the Kuvasz was mentioned in various ethnographic works.
Dogs of this breed are strong and large, embodying strength and tireless working ability. The Kuvasz is brave, intelligent, and intensely loyal. Its fur is moderately harsh, wavy, slightly stiff, unlikely to mat.
Magyar agár (Hungarian Greyhound)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Magyar agár is a hunting dog that hunts the game by sight. It was bred for long-distance coursing. Based on archaeological evidence, the breed’s origin goes back to the time of the Hungarian conquest. Fast, tough, and robust, it is excellent on the racecourse. Somewhat reserved by nature but not shy, it is intelligent and loyal. This breed comes in a variety of colours. Its fur is typically short and dense.
Magyar vizsla (Hungarian Pointer)
The hound is considered to be the oldest Hungarian hunting dog, and the Hungarian vizsla evolved from this breed through crossbreeding in the 18th century.
Drótszőrű magyar vizsla (Hungarian Wirehaired Pointer)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla was created by crossbreeding the Hungarian Short-haired Vizsla with the German Wirehaired Pointer during the 1930s. It is a medium-sized pointing dog with an excellent nose, adaptability, and outstanding trainability. Vizslas have a lively and affectionate temperament, and they easily form close bonds with their owners. Dogs of this breed are robust but rather lightly built, their fur is wiry, strong, dense, and not glossy. The colour of the Hungarian vizsla ranges from russet gold to dark sandy gold.
Rövidszőrű magyar vizsla (Hungarian Short-haired Pointer)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Hungarian Short-haired Vizsla is a versatile and efficient pointer dog, and its characteristics are similar to those of the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla. The first depictions and written evidence of the breed date back to the 13th century. The Hungarian Short-haired Vizsla was acknowledged as a separate breed by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1935, and it is one of the most famous Hungarian dog breeds.
The Mudi is a medium-sized herding dog, a great guard and companion dog, closely related to the Puli and Pumi. The breed was established during the 18th to the 19th century as the result of crossbreeding Hungarian herding dogs, most probably with various prick-eared German herding dogs. It is one of the rarest, least-known Hungarian breeds. The Mudi is an energetic, hard-working, and watchful dog with a lively temperament. Its fur is somewhat long and curly. The most striking part of this breed is probably its wedge-shaped head that always gives the impression of alertness.
Puli
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Similarly to the Komondor, the Puli is a Hungarian herding breed of Asiatic origin. This medium-sized breed has been utilised for both herding and guarding livestock since it was introduced to the Carpathian Basin by the migrating Magyar tribes. It is characterised by great adaptability, eagerness, remarkable intelligence, and lively temperament. Pulis tend to be very friendly towards children. The strongly developed coat that tends to form curls and cords gives a unique appearance to the famous Hungarian breed. Its colour is primarily black, white, or grey.
According to Pumiklub, the history of the breed can be traced back to the 17th−18th century. The Pumi evolved from the crossbreeding of Hungarian shepherd dogs and German and French terrier-like herding dogs. It was registered as a separate dog breed at the beginning of the 20th century. The Pumi is a small/medium-sized herding dog, similar to the Puli, with a lean and muscular body. The breed’s scenting ability is well developed, and it is an excellent companion and sporting dog. The Pumi is intelligent, lively, and agile. Its wavy, curly coat (usually black, white, or grey) forms tufts, and it is never smooth or corded.
Pentecost is a notable Christian holiday, celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and marks the birth of the Christian Church. Hungarians usually organise family gatherings for the long weekend or visit the country’s open-air baths. Many believers take part in the pilgrimage to the miraculous Virgin Mary statue in Csíksomlyó. This year, the celebration of Pentecost is not going to be the same as usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, but technology provides opportunities for people to adapt to the circumstances.
József Steinbach, Bishop of the Transdanubian Reformed Church District, emphasised that the meaning and the significance of Pentecost have remained the same. On Sunday, believers celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the most important role of the Holy Spirit is to give faith to people.
Since church services are allowed with precautions in Hungary, the bishop informed Infostart that people could attend the Lord’s Supper, but confirmation ceremonies would be postponed to September.
The Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference issued an announcement describing the most important events that are connected to Pentecost: the descent of the Holy Spirit, the founding of the Christian Church, and the beginning of global missionary work. Pentecost is the third largest Christian holiday and the oldest one after Easter.
On Sunday at 11:30, Cardinal Péter Erdő, the Archbishop of Esztergom−Budapest, celebrates a Mass in the Basilica in Esztergom, reported Alon. According to the basilica’s website, believers can only attend the Mass in masks, and they have to undergo body temperature measurement. The ceremony can be followed live on the archdiocese’s Facebook page.
Bishop István Bogárdi Szabó, the pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church’s synod, preaches on Sunday in the Reformed Church in Buda Hill. The recording of the service is uploaded on the congregation’s Youtube channel and Facebook page.
Bishop Tamás Fabiny’s online service to the Lutheran congregation in Csömör starts at 10 a.m.
Csíksomlyó pilgrimage: Let us make a pilgrimage in our hearts.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, pilgrimages are postponed, and believers’messages are delivered to the shrine by horse and bicycle relays. According to this decision, organisers ask the believers to make a pilgrimage in their hearts and join the Mass and other liturgical programs online. The Mass and the sermon, presented by Gergely Kovács, the archbishop of the archdiocese of Gyulafehérvár, are broadcasted live on the shrine’s website (www.csiksomlyo.ro), its Facebook page, the SzeredApp application, and Duna TV.
The Hungarian National Museum provides new online content at Pentecost
From May 30 to June 1, the Hungarian National Museum presents the traditions connected to this Christian feast through their research results in the fields of archaeology, archaeozoology, art history, and numismatics, wrote Magyar Kurír. On Saturday, museologist Eszter Apor commemorated this year’s unusual Pentecost with an excerpt from the 81-year-old source about the origin of the Csíksomlyó pilgrimage. The museum also presented the article of Borbála Nagy, a writer from Miercurea Ciuc, titled Pünkösdi búcsú Csíksomlyón (Pentecost Csíksomlyó pilgrimage) that was originally published in 1939.
On Sunday morning, art historian Mátyás Gödölle discusses the pictorial representation of the descent of the Holy Spirit (Christian iconography has traditionally depicted the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove) based on a copper engraving from the second half of the 17th century.
Csaba Tóth, the numismatist of the video blog Pénzek színes világa (The colourfulworld of coins), reveals the secrets of religious texts that can be found on the coins of the Principality of Transylvania.
The holiday of Pentecost is rather difficult to grasp; people mainly associate it with the long weekend. What do we celebrate during this period? We have gathered some of the most important elements of Pentecost, and since food is an essential part of every holiday, especially in Hungary, we also wanted to share some traditional meals.
Pentecost is a Christian feast (with pagan and Jewish roots) celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. The expression comes from the Greek word ‘pentecostē’, meaning “fiftieth”. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and marks the birth of the Christian Church. According to the New Testament, Jesus’s disciples were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, also known as Shavuot, taking place fifty days after Passover. It was originally an agricultural festival celebrating the harvest, but the bestowal of the Ten Commandments is also connected to this holiday.
Hungarians usually spend the long weekend relaxing, enjoying family dinners and events, or visiting the open-air baths around the country. Some believers go on a pilgrimage to Csíksomlyó to honour the Virgin Mary.
Culinary traditions heavily depend on seasonal vegetables, fruits, and the ideal time for slaughtering certain animals. The majority of traditional Hungarian dishes are based on meat – lamb and poultry (mainly chicken) are the most common choices for Pentecost meals, said Mihály Sipos, a farmer and advocate for self-sufficient food production, to NlCafe. His book Fenntartható visszafejlődés (Sustainable regression) presents his journey from the initial difficulties to the establishment of a functioning self-sufficient family farm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0TRtRpe8W/
As the weather gets better, more people choose to cook outside, and lamb stew is a typical Pentecost dish. The mating of the sheep occurs in autumn and spring, so the lambs born at Christmas reach the ideal weight of 25−30 kilograms by this holiday.
Pentecost lamb stew
You can use any part of the lamb, except the offal, and leave the tallow on the meat to retain its distinctive flavour, advises the farmer. The stew is cooked over a low flame on small twigs in an hour and a half/two hours.
Add the lard and the finely chopped onions to the pot and cook them until the onions get glossy and slightly yellowish.
Remove the pot from the fire, add in the paprika, and stir it. It is important to remove the pot from the fire because paprika burns easily.
Add in the diced meat, cook until they turn white, and season them with freshly ground pepper, salt, parsley, and tarragon.
Add a little water, some grains of juniper berries, and the secret weapon: a handful of dried and crushed fairy-ring mushrooms.
When the meat is almost ready, add some minced garlic. Stew is usually served with potatoes and salad.
Chicken soup and breaded chicken
Photo: www.katarzis.cafeblog.hu
Although geese and ducks are still young and thin at this time of the year, chickens and hens are great options. Breaded chicken breasts or legs are staple dishes in Hungary: cover the meat with the flour first, then with the beaten eggs, and then with breadcrumbs. Finally, fry them until they become crisp and golden brown. Serve with parsley potatoes. Older hens are ideal ingredients for chicken soup since they take more time to fry.
Put the cleaned hen in the pot (without the head, the feet, and the offals), cover it with water, and slowly bring to a boil.
When it comes to a boil, skim off the froth from the top of the liquid, and repeat as required.
Add some salt, some whole peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, some nutmeg, 2 whole allspice seeds and cumin seeds.
Put one whole onion, some garlic cloves, the cleaned and chopped root vegetables, some cabbage leaves, and peas to the pot.
Cook on a very low heat for at least 2 hours.
When the meat is almost tender, you can put the hen into the oven (pre-heated for 250 degrees) and bake it until the skin becomes crispy.
Lattice-top strawberry pie
A lattice-top pie crust is a good solution for juicy fruits, such as strawberry or cherry, because the structure allows for maximum evaporation. The juices released by the fruit cook down slowly while baking, and the filling does not become soupy.
Ingredients:
for the dough: 20 dkg flour 10 dkg sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar a pinch of salt 10 dkg butter 1 egg yolk (some sour cream)
for the filling: some breadcrumbs 50 dkg strawberries 20 dkg sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg yolk for the egg wash (it adds shine and colour)
Instructions:
Separate the eggs (you will use one for the dough and one for the egg wash) and mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Combine this mixture with the cold butter, then add one egg yolk, and, if necessary, add some sour cream so that the dough does not crumble.
Cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator to rest.
Cut the strawberries in half and put them in a pot. Add the other ingredients (except the breadcrumbs) and cook until the strawberries release their juice.
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and drain the strawberries.
Roll out two-thirds of the dough and spread it on the pie plate. Roll out and cut the rest of the dough into stripes. Put them in the refrigerator so they become a bit firm and easy to handle.
Sprinkle the dough with breadcrumbs and spread the filling on top of it.
Create the lattice from the pre-cut dough stripes, beat the egg yolk for the egg wash and coat the lattice with a thin layer.
Like many others, I learned how to prepare dumplings or ’nokedli/galuska’, as it is called in Hungary, from my grandmother. This simple but delicious side dish is an essential part of our cuisine. ‘Nokedli’ is similar to the German ‘spätzle’, but dumplings are also part of the Slovak, Ukrainian, Polish and Romanian cuisine.
Magyarországom has gathered the most important tricks of making the perfect Hungarian dumplings in 5 easy steps.
1. Ingredients (for 4 people)
50 dkg flour
4 eggs
approximately 200 ml water
pinch of salt
Some recipes recommend 1 egg/10 dkg flour, others use milk instead of water or add a bit of sour cream to the dough. However, you should always focus on the consistency. The dough should not be too liquid or too dry, but a little sticky.
2. Mixing the dough
After the ingredients are prepared, you can start mixing the dough. First, pour the flour, the eggs and the salt into a bowl. If you do not add enough eggs, the dough will be too sticky. Start combining the first two ingredients and add water gradually. The secret of good dumplings is that you should not overmix the dough or leave it to rest because it can harden. Put a bigger pot of water to boil (add some salt and oil to the water) before you start mixing the ingredients.
You can use a dumpling maker/grater, a teaspoon or a knife to form the dumplings. In the first case, place the grater on top of the pot, fill the sliding basket with the dough and slide it back and forth. I would recommend using a spoon because it allows you to form even and perfectly-shaped ‘nokedli’. Stir the dumplings occasionally, so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
4. Cooking the dumplings
You have to keep it in mind that dumplings do not take much time to cook, so try forming them as quickly as you can. The dumplings are ready when they float to the surface of the water.
5. Rinsing and seasoning
After you drain the cooked dumplings, you can rinse them with water so they do not stick together. However, this step is a bit controversial since it cools the dish. Another solution is to add a bit of oil, fat or butter to the dumplings. You can season the dumplings with some chives or garlic and it is the perfect side dish for chicken paprikash. Beat some eggs, pour them over the dumplings and cook the mixture for a few minutes to get the perfect egg dumplings, ‘tojásos nokedli’ in Hungarian.
Historians, folklore researchers, and linguists have been studying Hungarian mythology and pre-Christian religious beliefs for centuries. Mythological ideas can be reconstructed based on folk beliefs, folk tales, legends, archaic folk prayers, and folk customs. We have already offered a glimpse into this world through several mythological creatures, legendary heroes, and sacred animals. Now, we will introduce the most important elements of ancient Hungarian paganism and its worldview.
Similarly to other European nations (e.g. the Slavs), there are no surviving Hungarian mythological texts (like the Norse sagas), but the ancient belief system can be restored to some degree with the help of the available fragmentary data. Such a reconstruction is methodologically substantiated, and the Baltic and Slavic mythologies exemplify that it is not merely a theoretical solution. The three mythologies show many similarities typologically and in terms of the level of social development since the mythological ideas were preserved in the folklore of the peasantry.
An interesting feature of the Hungarian folk belief is the extent to which the individual mythical figures or elements are connected to certain fields or genres. For example, the stratification of the underground world is only indicated by certain incantations, witch trials and folk tales serve as the main sources of Hungarian beliefs connected to witches, and the custom of equestrian burial from the period of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin suggests that the practice of horse sacrifice was an important element of Hungarian culture. The ancient mythology and religion of our nation were linguistically, ethnically, and regionally fragmented. Hungarians’ pre-Christian religion was not institutionalised, but they worshipped certain higher beings, sought their help, and offered sacrifices to them.
The structure of the world
According to Magyar Elektronikus Könyvtár, Hungarian shamanism divided the world into three realms: the upper, the middle, and the lower or other realm. The upper realm belongs to the gods, the personified planets (Sun and Moon), and the stars. Humans populate the middle realm, but supernatural creatures (various spirits, forest and water creatures) and people with supernatural abilities (shamans, witches) can also be found here.
Photo: video still from Hungarian Folk Tales: The Giant Tree
A central element of the Hungarian mythological worldview is the ‘sky-high tree’ or ‘tree of life’ (‘égig érő fa’ [eːgɪg eːrɜː fɑ] or ‘életfa’ [eːlɛtfɑ] in Hungarian). The image of a tree reaching up to the sky and connecting the three realms frequently appears in folk tales. Only a hero with shamanic abilities can climb this huge tree and reach the silver and gold castles of the Moon and the Sun.
In some incantations, the Moon is mentioned in the readings as a man and the Sun is associated with the feminine principle, personifying a goddess. The Moon played a major role in folk medicine, and it was thought to enhance the magical power of certain incantations. People believed that solar and lunar eclipses were caused by a mythical creature that consumes celestial bodies. In Hungarian mythology, this bird- or sometimes wolf-like being is called “markoláb”.
The religion of the conquering Hungarians was essentially shamanism, which is a complex belief system. The shaman mediates between the realm of souls and the realm of living people. Its role is rather diverse, involving healing, helping community members, and presenting an animal sacrifice to the gods. According to researchers, shamanism played an important role in shaping the mythological worldview of our ancestors. Elements of shaman mythology have survived for centuries as a part of the Hungarian folk faith. The Hungarian equivalent of the word ‘shaman’ is ‘táltos’ [tɑːltɒʃ] who was characteristically born with teeth, a distinctive mark, or an additional bone.
Researchers further distinguish between healers (or soothsayers, ‘javas’ [jɑvɑʃ] in Hungarian), people with supernatural healing abilities, and necromancers, who were able to make contact with the souls of the dead. Necromancers were often named after settlements, such as ‘Novaj’ [nɒvɑj], referring to a female necromancer, or ‘Csépa’ [tʃeːpɑ], denoting a male necromancer, claims Adél Vehrer. However, these figures only became a part of Hungarian folk tradition after the adoption of Christianity.
Totemism
Totemism refers to the emergence of a spiritual cult of ancestors. The soul of the ancestor is believed to appear in the form of a selected animal (totem), from which the community is derived. Totemism played an important role in ancient Hungarian religion, and its existence is suggested by the origin myths, such as the turul legend and the legend of the Wondrous Stag.
